Chapter XVIII

WILL THE INVITATION BE ALLOWED TO REACH ME?

The Duke of Dromoland was then shown to the Duchess’s bedroom; and soon afterwards the Countess was interrupted in her toilette by the entrance of Mrs. Spinnyfit, with a note in the Duchess’s large straggling hand, a gigantic “Immediate” being written on the outside.

Mrs. Spinnyfit had already peeped into the note, for she was fond of reading letters, and having been with the Countess all through the last London season, she was pretty well acquainted with the secret springs which regulated many people’s lives; and on reading this note as she passed through the passages, a mixture of triumph and malice might have been seen on her thin face.

This expression had not subsided when she stood behind her lady and handed the note to the upper ladysmaid, “Madame Catering Devilry.” Cunigunda’s quick eyes detected it between the shining plaits that M. Isidore’s hands were dexterously weaving; and then seeing the Duchess’s bold handwriting with the startling “Immediate,” she hastily opened the note.

It had been well fastened, but the seal being still moist, she was convinced Mrs. Spinnyfit had read it, and that something disagreeable was contained therein. It ran thus:

“MY DEAR CONTESSA,

“The Duke has just told me that you are not aware that your
relation Miss Vivian is actually staying within three miles of this
place. She is living there with a strange old lady, who knows
nobody, which probably accounts for your ignorance about her. Of
course you would wish to have Miss Vivian at your fête to-night,
and as everybody is so busy, I have settled with the Duke to send
our carriage with the horses that brought us to fetch her. You know
he is one of her greatest admirers, and I hope no impediment will
be made to this plan, or he will think _I_ am jealous of the
beauty.

“But I did not like to let him do it without telling you. I am
writing a note to Miss Vivian to explain matters, as I feel sure
you will not have a moment to spare, and ought indeed to rest, for
I am sorry to hear that you are suffering from headache.

“Believe me always,
“Yours most sincerely,
“G. DROMOLAND.”

“What insolent impertinence!” exclaimed the Countess in Italian, but without allowing her face to express her thoughts, for she saw Mrs. Spinnyfit’s eyes twinkling with eager curiosity by the reflection of her face in the glass. So she added in English--

“Go back, Spinnyfit, and tell the Duchess, with my best love, that I am much obliged to her, and shall be charmed to see Miss Vivian this evening, as she so kindly offers to send for her.”

After Mrs. Spinnyfit had gone she made a sign to the ever-attentive Cattarina to see if the door was closed.

The obedient Cattarina did this after looking out in the passage to see that the underladysmaid was fairly out of sight, and then came back to the Countess, who spoke a few words in Italian.

“_Capisco_,” said the quick-witted Italian, and immediately left the room.

“It would never do,” thought the Countess, as M. Isidore proceeded with her hair. “She was Carlo’s first love, but she shall not regain his heart. And yet,” she continued, after painful thoughts which were too quick to place themselves in words--“why should I care--after what he appears to know----”

At this moment such a look of agony passed over her lovely face that M. Isidore feared he had hurt her head, and apologised for his _gaucherie_.

“Yes,” she said, “take care, for my hair is very tender.”

But the anxious current of her miserable thoughts remained uninterrupted; however, having great command of countenance, she did not allow them again to appear in the tell-tale looking-glass.

Cattarina did not return for some time, but so absorbed was the Countess in her thoughts that she scarcely missed her.

Mrs. Spinnyfit returned just as the hairdressing was finished, and expected to have the glory and honour of attiring her lady in the magnificent dress. But the Countess said she felt so ill she determined not to go down to dinner, and sent her with a message to that effect to the Duchess and the other ladies. She was going to add also to the Count, but she felt a strange dread of seeing him, and feared that if he thought her really ill he might come to her room.

“I cannot see him alone again to-night,” she thought; “his blue eyes, so like hers, will pierce me through and through. How often they have made me quake with fear lest he should ever know! Poor Alphonso! Oh, that I could be for one half hour like the innocent Dorina, that I might not shrink from his beautiful--yes, his heavenly eyes! But why does this horror oppress me so now? I feel as if something dreadful were going to happen that will awake me; something does now strangely awaken in my mind a kind of remorse--regret--What has thus changed my nature? Can all this horror be produced by the mere sight of a chance likeness in that old picture? Why have I suddenly lost the vivid interest I always felt in my dress and appearance?”

And going to the glass, in order to see if her own lovely face would not revive her drooping spirits, she caught sight of the Duchess’s note--“or the Duke will think _I_ am jealous,” with two large dashes under the I, “which I see plainly means that she thought _my_ jealousy had prevented me from inviting her. Was there ever such impertinence!--and what if Cattarina does not succeed in stopping the carriage, and that the girl comes here! What a position for Carlo, after they had been regularly engaged! Well, there is something exciting about it, and perhaps she will keep on her mask and not make herself known to him. And perhaps---- How strange, I scarcely seem to care. I feel as if I longed for nothing but Dorina’s and Alphonso’s forgiveness. What an odd feeling to begin a ball with! Come, I’ll try to laugh at it, and will not remain alone any longer.”

So, ringing for her maids, she began to dress. Mrs. Spinnyfit answered her bell, saying that Miss Cattarina could not be found. Mr. Snookfield said he saw her go towards the stables half an hour ago, but no one had seen her since.

“I suppose she has gone to walk in the park,” said the Countess, with indifference. “I told her she might go out this evening, as she suffered so much with the heat all day.”

“Yes, my lady, and so have I too; but I wonder that she----”

“Never mind, give me the diamonds; and, see, the fold of the silver lappet wants looping up,” she said, as she surveyed herself in the long looking-glass.

Her costume was somewhat similar to that worn by her at the memorable ball in the caves of Hohenstein, where Dorina had so mysteriously disappeared. A clear silvery gauze floated like wings round her slender form, attached here and there with large single diamonds to a thicker silvery tissue of the under-petticoat. The long tresses of luxuriant dark hair were intertwined with water-lilies, fastened here and there by large diamonds.

When the toilette was completed, she could not help enjoying the loveliness of her appearance in the glass, and at that moment of triumph Cattarina entered the room. After sending Mrs. Spinnyfit to fetch some white camelias from the conservatory, Cattarina whispered in her ear.

“All right; but I had great difficulty, and I was obliged to climb up to the top of the hill to see that I could depend upon my orders being obeyed. I should never have been able to manage it, had I not luckily found a deaf man helping in the stables, against whom I know something which places him in my power, and I know he is clever enough, so I just told him what was wanted, and ordered him, under pretence of showing the Duke’s coachman the way to the Grange, to go with him, and make him drive in quite another direction. As it’s dark now, the old fat coachman, who was sulky enough at having to drive out again, and is half drunk, will never be the wiser. And if the deaf, half-witted man pretends afterwards to be drunk too, we must pay him well.”

“Bravo!” said Cunigunda, who was beginning to regain her usual high spirits. “Now bring me something to eat, and some Champagne and Chartreuse, and I’ll go down and receive the company in the tapestry-room.”

“Yes, I will bring you up a nice dinner, for they will soon begin to arrive, and the ladies will be coming out of the dining-room,” said Cattarina.

The choice meal, and a few glasses of the fragrant wines, still further revived her spirits, and, in her most radiant mood, Cunigunda entered the brilliantly-lighted rooms.